Holder for telephone instruments



N0 13, 1951 VAN KE 2,575,306

HOLDER FOR TELEPHONE INSTRUMENTS Filed May 26, 1947 Patented Nov. 13,1951

UNITED STATES'PATENT OFFICE Lyle H. Van Dyke, Portland, Oreg.

Application May 26, 1947, Serial No. 750,445

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates generally to telephones and particularly to a holder for telephone instruments.

The main object of this invention is to provide a holder particularly adapted for use with that class of telephones in which the receiver and transmitter are incorporated in a single unit which is ordinarily held by hand while conversing.

The second object is to so construct the holder that it can be snapped onto any standard instrument in right or left hand positions without the use of tools and without the need of 1any special mechanical skill or detailed instruclOIl.

The third object is to so construct the holder that it can be easily molded of plastic materials and that it will in no way injure the telephone instrument or detract from the use thereof or in any way impair its finish.

The fourth object is to stabilize the holder by providing a third point of support in order to prevent the device from rolling on the shoulder of the user under the weight of the instrument.

I accomplish these and other objects in the manner set forth in the following specification as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a general view showing the device in use.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken along the line 2-2 in Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a broken section taken along the line 33 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a section taken along the line 4-4 in Fig. 3.

Similar numbers of reference refer to the same or similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring in detail to the drawing, there is shown a shoulder rest having the curved middle portion If} and the tangential ends II along the interior surface of which is secured a sponge rubber lining l2. Secured to or integral with one end II is the instrument holding unit I3 in which the main novelty of this invention resides.

The member 53, as stated, may be integral with the member I l. The general shape of the member I3 is unimportant except that its faces l4 and H; are curved to receive the handle It which joins the receiver I! and transmitter IS. The face I4 is on the narrow and slightly springy arm I9 which forms a part of the unit [3.

The face 15 is partof the rigid side 20 which is braced to the foot 2| by the web 22. The

foot 2| extends upwardly to form a connecting face 23 which joins with the member 20 enclosing the web 22. The members I9 and 2!! have the inturned ribs 24 and 25 which snap along the forward face of the handle I6.

It will be noted that the foot 2! is normal to the side 26 of the curved middle portion Ill and its lowermost point 21 extends below the under side 28 of the member II.

The point 2i is covered with a sponge rubber cushion 29 which extends from the lining l2 to a point along the outer face 23.

It will be noted that a sponge rubber insert 38 is recessed in the neck of the unit l3 to improve its holding action and insure against slippage or rattling.

In the operation of the device, it is only necessary to press the instrument handle [6 between the ribs 24 and 25 and the device is attached and in place. To use it, the set is placed in its proper relation to the ear and mouth with the lining l2 resting in front of and behind the shoulder while the foot '2! rests on top of the shoulder is! of the user. It can be seen that by the use of this device both hands are left free for whatever purpose is desired.

I am aware that numerous devices have been constructed for the same or similar purposes. It is, therefore, not my intention to cover such devices broadly but I do intend to cover all such modifications of this device as fall fairly within the following claim.

I claim:

A holder for telephone hand pieces comprising a shoulder engaging strap, the middle portion of which is arcuate and the ends of which are tangent to the arcuate middle and form substantially a right angle with relation to each other, one tangent side constituting the top of the strap, an upright instrument holding unit integral with said strap at the point of tangency between the curved center and the top side of the strap, said unit being characterized by having an open pocket formed therein conforming to the cross section of a hand piece handle, and

the open end of said pocket having inturned latch ribs for latching a handle within the pocket and means for preventing slippage between the hand piece handle and the pocket, the axis of said pocket forming an acute angle I with relation to the top of the strap at the point of tangency, the open side of said pocket overhanging the side of the strap nearest the ear of the user, said overhanging side having a supporting foot extending beyond the open side of the pocket and below the bottom of the topmost UNITED STATES PATENTS tangent strap portion said supporting foot being Number Name Date adapted to rest on the shoulder of the user. 1,250,716 Townsend 18,1917

LYLE H. VAN DYKE. 8 Wolf Apr. 13, 1926 5 2,348,138 Latus May 2, 1944 REFERENCES CITED 2,476,221 Renneker July 12, 1949 The following references are of record in the FOREIGN PATENTS file of this patent: Number Country Date Italy July 1'7, 1934 

